Barefoot bike pedals

 Well I can see this forum is

Well I can see this forum is going to be popular. ;)
 
Hey!  If we build it, they

Hey! If we build it, they will come. Patience.
 
Maybe the ladies can make

Maybe the ladies can make this the naked cowboy forum. :lol:
 
Naked cowboy forum?Abide-

Naked cowboy forum?

Abide- Those might work. They have others I've seen that look like they work better for VFFs, but I haven't seen anything that, to me, looks as powerful and efficient as true cycling shoes. It's a different thing. We can't claim we are cycling as nature intended like we can with running. In this case, the technology is there and it is making people faster, unlike running shoes.
 
 These are my bike shoes I

These are my bike shoes I have been using for a couple of months ( new on the left, old weights on the right). I took off my clip-less pedals put on flat pedals(similar to the these) took out the grip pegs
straitline-pedals-hi.jpg
003.jpg


I wear three pairs of socks and it is good to -13 f

This way i am still working on foot strength on the bike
 
For me I am trying to

For me I am trying to strengthen my feet. I suspect the saddles are stiff. With socks and the water shoe there is some protection from road burn or the chain. I am getting used to the flexibitlity of the shoe and have no problem hammering up hills. Like with BFR you become aware of what your feet are doing what works and what feels wrong.
 
Good point - I hadn't

Good point - I hadn't considered the stiffness of the sole - now you've got me thinking.
 
Huh?

Huh?
 
 Abide, I think I have these

Abide, I think I have these exact pedals on my 25 year old LifeCycle. I ride it wearing my VFFs with the strap as tight as it goes otherwise my feet slide forward and through. I have to say, it took some getting used to and isn't very comfortable.....barefoot is worse. I'm sure that didn't help you at all.
 
As pro minimalist and BF as I

As pro minimalist and BF as I am, cycling just isn't the place for it. The technology actually helps here, as opposed to running shoes that are supposed to be good for you but actually aren't. Swim bare, ride in shoes, run bare (or close). At my level those few extra seconds of transition aren't going to cost anything.
 
Has anyone heard of Pyro

Has anyone heard of Pyro Platforms? I gave them a try this last summer.

They aren't THE answer, but an option. After a review that I did on them, I came across other options such as sandals that I wouldn't mind giving a try. The plus for the PYROs, though, is the stiff platform. Read about my experience here.
 
Cool, I haven't seen those,

Cool, I haven't seen those, they might even work well with a pair of aqua socks.

I picked up a pair of flat pedals from Sears on clearence. I am going to give them a try this week. I've been riding my bike in flip flops daily for over a year and no injuries yet. I only ride on roads, if I was going on trails there is no way in hell I would ride barefoot.

I actually think barefoot on a bike is safer than what most people think. You have good tactile awareness so slipping a pedal isn't quite the risk you may think. Now in a crash, that is another story. Is it faster? I have no idea, but I am nowhere near fast enough for it to really matter.
 
inbetweenmytoes wrote:Has

inbetweenmytoes said:
Has anyone heard of Pyro Platforms? I gave them a try this last summer.

They aren't THE answer, but an option. After a review that I did on them, I came across other options such as sandals that I wouldn't mind giving a try. The plus for the PYROs, though, is the stiff platform. Read about my experience here.

How do you think the pyro would perform in a recumbent pedal style ? Possibly barefoot, or VFF sprint use with a toe strap added to pyro.
 
While I have no recumbent

While I have no recumbent experience, I imagine the principle to be the same. The Pyro would provide a stiff base that would accept a bare or minimally clad foot. I would definitely look into some modifications like the toe strap. In fact, I have thought about that option with mine, more of a soft strapped sandal closure system.
 
I ride recumbent and it used

I ride recumbent and it used to be in a pair of old sandals. I like to have my feet exposed to the air and sun as much as possible while I"m biking. I accidentally threw them out so now I where my huaraches for biking. They are OK, but they move too much for my liking and I wasn't fond of not being able to put the power into the push since the point of force is transfering thru the metaheads. I've gotten more accustomed to it but for biking, I think I would like some a bit thicker if not stiffer than the standard invisibleshoe kit. The vibram 8870 material that is used in the leadville sandals is 10mm and I was considering that but for $84 I might as well try to get something I can "apply and forget" to my feet for biking as with my old sandals.



Those pedals you linked are similar to what I was thinking; something flat like that would remove the point where the forefoot essentially molds into the pedal at point of most pressure.
 
I have just started biking barefoot in these last few weeks. Before this I was riding in either hueraches, Soft Star Moc3's or Merrell Trail Gloves.

I have really noticed my feet getting stronger and the metal ridges on the pedals have really helped with my BF running. The grip on the pedals with your barefeet is fantastic. The Power Grips that I have on the pedals I have left too big for when/if I do wear shoes.

I am not at a level where I need to wear stiff cycling shoes, but as my feet get even stronger, I'm not sure how much advantage they would give me anyway. It's made my cycling so much more enjoyable. :)

Pedal.JPG
 
Naked cowboy forum?Abide-

Naked cowboy forum?

Abide- Those might work. They have others I've seen that look like they work better for VFFs, but I haven't seen anything that, to me, looks as powerful and efficient as true cycling shoes. It's a different thing. We can't claim we are cycling as nature intended like we can with running. In this case, the technology is there and it is making people faster, unlike running shoes.
The problem for some, maybe a lot of us, is trying to find a regular cycling shoe that doesn't squeeze the hell out of your foot. Now a days I don't really care if I am competitive with cycling so I don't mind if I lose a little if I am comfortable.